Display-case.



No. '725,572u

PATENTBD APR. 14, 1903. G. E. LATSHAW.

DISPLAY CASE. Y

APPLICATION FILED APB. 1, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

XMMS

wolvonms persas No. 725,572. -PATBNTED APR. 14. 190s. c. B. LATSHAW.

DISPLAY CASE.

APPLIOATION H LBD un. 1, 1902. No Mopm.. a SHEETS-sum a.

Z3 ZZ? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDWARD LATSHAW, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.v

DISPLAY-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 725,572, dated April 14, 1903. Application filed April 1| 1902. Serial No. 100,930. (No model.)

To all whom; t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES EDWARD LAT- SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Display-Case, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in display-cases.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of display-cases and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one designed for advantageously displaying various kinds of goods and capable of enabling the same to be supported and disposed in a variety of ways.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display-case of this character adapted to exhibit or expose its contents at each of its sides and ends and capable of affording ready access to its interior from opposite sides.

Another object of the invention is to provice a series of brackets or supports adapted to be readily arranged at the desired elevation and capable of being disposed either in a horizontal oran inclined position. Y

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display-case constructed in accordance with this invention and shown closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, the display-case being open. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the sliding hinges. Fig. l is a plan view of the bottom of the case. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the construction of the combined locking and pivoting devices. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the means for operating the same. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the .sliding hinges. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the guide for the same. Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the caster. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 10 10 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view illustrating the arrangement of the caster.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

1 1 designate sides of a central section of a show or display case which is provided with side sections 2, ladapted to be swung open to afford access to the interior of the case. The sides 1 of the central section are located at opposite sides of the case and are secured at their ends to the top 4 and bottom`5 of the said case, the top 4l and bottom 5 being extended beyond the side section and overlapping the end sections when the latter are clpsed. The sides 1 are provided with transparent plates of glass or other suitable material arranged within suitable frames, and the sides and ends of the entire case are provided with plates of glass to enable the contents of the display-case to be inspected and exposed atall sides. Each end section 2 of the display-case is received within the extended portions .of the top and bottom 4 and 5 and is composed of narrow side portions 6 and end 7, and a top and bottom 8 and 9 secured to the sides and ends. The sides and ends are provided with plates of glass, and each end section is preferably oblong, as shown, the opposite side portions being narrow and extending from the sides 1 to the end of the display-case, and the ends 7 extend entirely across the case; but the latter may be of any other desired configuration.

The sides of the central section of the case are suitably fixed to the top and bottom, and the latter are provided with projecting central portions 10 and 1l, which are flush with the inner faces ,of the top and bottom of the end sections when the latter are closed and l which form suitable shoulders for supporting the sides 1.

The side sections, which-are adapted to be swung open at either side of the display-case, are secured when closed by upper and lower bolts 12, arranged in pairs and located at the inner edges of the narrow sides 6 of the end sections and engaging suitable sockets 13 of the extended portionsof the top and bottom and held in engagement with the same lby coiled springs 14. .The coiled springs vle, which are housed within suitable casings 15,

engage collars or iianges 16 of the bolts, which are connected by suitable connections 17 with arms 18 of a spindle 19.

IOO

The spindle 19,

which is centrally mounted at the inner edge of the side 6, is provided at its outer end with a handle and is adapted to be rotated to pull upon the connections 17 to withdraw the bolts from engagement with the sockets. The locking devices at either side of the display-case may be disengaged from their sockets,and the locking devices at the opposite side of the case will then form the pintles for hinging the end section to enable the latter to be swung open and closed. The extended portions of the top 4 and bottom 5 are provided at opposite sides at their inner faces with curved grooves 21, gradually increasing in depth toward their outer ends and forming beveled or inclined faces to engage the depressible spring-actuated bolts, whereby the end casings are adapted to be swung to their closed position without manipulating the locking devices, as the latter will automatically engage the sockets.

The end casings or sections are supported at the bottom by a ball-caster 22, consisting of a ball mounted in a suitable casing 23 and projecting below the lower face of the bottom 9 and arranged to run in ways formed by diverging grooves 24, composed of oppositelycurved side portions and having an extension 25 at the adjacent ends of the side portions. Each side portion forms an arc of a circle concentric with one of the sets of pivoting fastening-bolts, and the divergent ways formed by these curved side portions accommodate the supporting-caster when the end section is swung open from either side of the display-case. The outward swing or opening movement of the end sections of the display-case is limited by hinges 26, arranged in pairs and located at opposite sides of the display-case and adapted to support the end sections at the top. Each hinge 26 consists of a short leaf 27 and a long slidable leaf 2S, provided at its outer end with a T-shaped tongue 29. The short leaf 27 is xed to the end section, and the tongue of the slidable leaf 2S extends through a slot 30 of a guide-plate 3l, which is secured to the central section of the case, at the top thereof, and which permits the leaf 28 to slide back and forth from one end of the slot 30 to the other to permit the end sections to open and close at either side of the case. The arms or lugs formed by the head of the T-shaped tongue 29 engage the inner" face of the guide-plate 3l, whereby the slidable leaf of the hinge is securely interloclred with the said guide-plate and is retained in such engagement while the parts are assembled.

The goods to be displayed are designed to be supported by vertically-adjustable brackets mounted on vertical reds or bars secured at their ends to the top and bottom of the case. The rods or bars 32 of the central section of the case are preferably provided at intervals with notches or recesses 33, and the verticallyadjustable brackets 34E are provided with pins 36 or other suitable means for engaging the notches. The end sections of the display-case are preferably provided with smooth rods 38, receiving brackets 39. The bars or arms of the brackets may be provided with notches 56 and with lugs 57 to prevent goods from slipping olf the arms.

It will be seen that the display-case is exceedingly simple in its construction, that it is adapted for advantageously displaying a large amount of goods of various kinds, and that the goods are exposed to view at all sides. lt will also be apparent that the end sections of the display-case may be swung open from either side and that they are guided and supported in such opening and closing movement.

I desire it to be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat I claim isl. A display-case comprisinga central section having an extended top and bottom, end sections fitting between the extended portions of the top and bottom, and the combined locking and pivoting devices connecting the end sections with the central section and adapted to be released at either side of the case to permit the end sections to be opened at that side, substantially as described.

2. A display-case comprising a central section composed of sides and a top and bottom, end sections composed of a top, bottom, sides and end and fitting against the central section and combined locking and pivoting devices detachably hinging the end sections to the central section at opposite sides of the case and adapted to permit the end sections to be swung open at either side of the case,

substantially as described.

3. A display-case comprisinga central section having extended top and bottom portions provided with opposite grooves forming inclined faces, end sections fitting between the extended portions of the central section, upper and lower bolts arranged in pairs in the same vertical planes as the grooves and engaging the extended portions of the central section and mounted on the endsections at the corners thereof, and means for operating the bolts, whereby the end sections maybe opened at either side of the case, substantially as described.

It. A display-case comprisinga central section, side sections detachably connected to the central section at opposite sides of the case and adapted to be opened at either side of the same, and hinges located at opposite sides of the case and connecting the central and end sections and composed of leaves secured to one section and slidably connected with the other section and permitting the end sections to be swung open from either side of the case, substantially as described.

5. A display-case comprising central and IKO IIO

Igo

end sections, the end sections being detachably hinged at opposite sides of the case, guide-plates arranged in pairs and mounted on the central section at opposite sides of the case, and hinges arranged in pairs and secured to the end sections and slidably interlocked With the guide-plates and permitting the end sections to be swung open at either side of the case, substantially as described.

6. A display-case comprising central and end sections, the end sections being detachably hinged at opposite sides of the case, slotted guide-plates mounted on the central section at opposite sides of the case, and hinges secured to the end sections at opposite sides of the case and provided with tongues arranged in the slots of the guide-plates and provided With means for engaging the latter, said hinges being arranged to permit the end sections to be opened at either side of the case, substantially as described.

7. A display-case comprising a central section having extended portions provided with centrally arranged outwardly divergent Ways, the end sections provided with antifriction devices arranged to run in the said Ways, and combined locking and pivoting devices connecting the end sections With the central section and adapted to be released at either side of the case to permit the end sections to be opened at that side, substantially as described.

' 8. A display-case comprising a central section provided with an extended 'bottom having centrally-arranged divergent grooves, end sections detachably provided with a caster arranged to runin the divergent grooves, and combined locking and pivoting devices connecting the end sections with the central section and adapted to be released at either side of the case to permit the end sections to be opened at that side, substantiallyA as de-y scribed.

9. A display-case comprising a central section provided at the top and bottom with extending portions having sockets and provided with opposite grooves extending from the sockets, the extended bottom portions being also provided With centrally-arranged divergent Ways, end sections provided With pivots detachably engaging the said sockets andarranged to travel .in the grooves at opposite sides of the extended portions, and antifriction devices centrally supportingthe end sections and arranged to operate in the diver-v CHARLES EDWARD LAISHAW.

Witnesses:

A. D. BURR, F. C. BURKE. 

